After the Battle
by Mark 61
Summary: Sami and Tessa's thoughts after various moments in the rivalry
1. Chapter 1

After the Battle

Sami and Tessa's thoughts after there match at Slammiversy

_No this is not a romance story._

"What the hell did you say?" Sami yelled grabbing Jake by the neck. It hadn't even been five seconds after he got through the curtain and he was already pissed with the rest of OVE. "I just wondering why you did that at the end Sami?"Jake says struggling to breath. "Jake who am I?" Sami asks. "Calm down Sami," Dave begs. "Maybe if you want me to calm down guys you shouldn't jump all over me once I walk backstage. Maybe should let my breath back or take off the flack jacket," Sami rants letting Jake go and moving towards the OVE locker room. "Well it just kind of confused us," Jake says. Sami stopped. "What confused you two?" Sami asks. "Why did give her the bat? We thought you were going to destroy her?" Dave says. "What did I say before the match? I was going to treat Tessa as an equal!" Sami reminds them. "You didn't treat Rich like that," Jake points out. "Richie is different! He abandoned the family," Sami tells them. "You didn't treat Pentagon like that," Jake says and Sami slaps him.

"Pentagon took my hair! Pentagon humiliated me! And do yourself a favor guys don't mention Cage or LAX or Eddie Edwards. Had they been my equals I would have shown them respect like that," Sami says. From there Sami goes into the locker room. Once he's done getting cleaned up he headed for the hotel. He had no desire to head to some celebration party. He just wanted to sleep. After putting his gear down in the room he felt pain shot through his neck. Likely from one of the DDT's Tessa had hit him with.

"It should not have been that hard," He said kicking his bag across the room. "Seriously how does that bitch last that long," Sami ranted. Sure he had won. Yet she had some how pushed him to his limits. The worst had been the cross face. It had been so damn painful. It had taken everything he had to get to the ropes and than she rolled through taking him back center. He had been so close to tapping. So close to quitting and giving the princess the victory. But he couldn't do it. After all his talking, after all he threats and taunts they would never let him live it down. So he manned up and powered free of the hold. He hadn't realized it at the time but he knew he needed something special to win this. That's why he broke out the gotch tombstone. And she had the freaking nerve to kick at two.

"She never broke," Sami thought. He had felt it plenty of times. That point where someone was punished so badly they gave in. They stopped fighting. But Tessa Blanchard never broke. Even after he hit her with a cactus special. Even he pinned her he could still feel it she was trying to kick out. Her body simply didn't' respond in time to do it. When he stood up and looked down at her the fire was still in her eyes. If she could had stoop up good chance she would have taken a swing at him. That was why her showed her that respect. He had done everything he could to break her. Instead she was still trying to stand. Sami liked very few peopled and respected almost no one. Yet Tessa had earned his.

Meanwhile

They had offered her help. She would never take it. She would never get that bastard the satisfaction of seeing her need help. Now she walked out of that ring with her head held high. She was a Blanchard and this was Texas she had to much pride to not walk out. Even as pain ripped through her body with each step. Once she got to the back she heard clapping. The locker room including Brian Cage, Rich Swann, Eddie Edwards were waiting. "That was amazing Tessa you should be proud," Cage says. "Thanks Brian," Tessa says winching in pain. Its a struggle but she she makes it to the locker room. All the other women had long cleared out. She reached a chair and collapsed into it.

"I had that won," She thought to herself. She had been close to winning. She could feel it, Sami was caught off guard several times. Than she got him in the cross face. The hand was up he was about to tap but fought to the ropes. She rolled him back to the center and could feel it. The Draw was going to give up. Than he powered to his feet. "Stupid you know better," Tessa thought. She wasn't a submission wrestler. But when she saw a chance to lock one in she did it. As she cranked on the hold and felt him reaching the breaking point she got obsessed with getting him to quit. She should have let the hold go when he started to pushed up. She could tell she was about to lose her grip but no she had to make him tap. After everything he said after all the crap he had pulled it was to sweet to resist. Sami got up and manged to escape. She should have broken the hold hit a big move maybe the buzz saw and gone for Magnum again. She made a mistake and it had cost her.

Everyone wanted to congratulate on a great effort. She didn't accept Sami's challenge just to get in the ring. She had taken it to beat him. She had taken to maybe knock a little sense into his pin head. She had taken it to prove she wasn't just the best women's wrestler in the world but to prove she was the best wrestler. And she had failed. Maybe someday she could look back and smile at what she did. How she main evented a major PPV. How she denied the odds and pushed "The Wrestler of the Year" to his limits. But not today. Today she had lost and she hated to lose.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Never thought there would be a chapter two. And well I actually hoping if Impact ever did another Sami and Tessa match they would save it for down the line. But they are doing a rematch in a few weeks. So this chapter is set up after Mash Up where the match was set up._

"Hey Tessa let's get you checked out by the trainer?" Scott D'Amore says to her. He leg had been jammed in the first match. "I'm fine," Tessa insisted blowing him off. She was still annoyed with Impact management putting her in team with Sami. She headed for the locker room. Once again she was last one of the knockouts there for the night. "I can't lose this time," Tessa thought as she sat in a chair in front of her gear bag. Sami was already an insufferable ass. Now he was one step closer to be being world champion. As for herself Tessa had never really thought at the world title. Her goal has always been the Knockouts title. Gail Kim had been the legend she had been chasing to surpass not Styles, or Roode, or Lashley.

"No this about beating Sami. I was so close last time. I just need to make some adjustments," She said pulling out her stuff to take a shower. "But what is he going to pull in the weeks ahead?" Tessa thinks. Tessa had seen the stuff Sami had to Eddie Edwards or to Rich Swann a guy he called his brother. And what he already done to her so far. Tessa made the decision to wedge chair in front of the door. Sami had already invaded the Knockouts locker room once. She didn't put it past him to do it again. Or hell send his minions into attack her. It was time to watch her back the next few weeks.

OVE Locker Room

"And next time I say finger poke of dome we are doing the finger poke of dome!" Sami yelled as he hit both Jake and Dave with a kendo stick. "Its not my fault. Trey kept messing things up," Dave claims. "And why didn't you stop him? And why didn't you kick his ass when he came out dressed like?" Sami yells before cracking Dave again. Jake actually laughs. "And you tried you to roll me up!" Sami screams before backhanding Jake. "I slipped," Jake claims. "How is Fulton the only one smart enough not to fuck up the plan," Sami declares. After that kicks the Crist brother's out of the locker room. "Its like they don't get it. We have a perfect chance to get the damn world title. Cage is hurt and this should been a cake walk to my rematch with diamond princess," Sami thinks.

Sami took off his vest and tossed it aside. "This time I can't leave any damn doubts," Sami thinks. The first match was way to close. This time thought he wouldn't be taking little Tessa to lightly. Now this times he was going to demolish her. He already was forming some ideas for ways to get an advantage. That little tweaked knee seemed like a good place to start.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"FINALLY!" Sami yelled once he reached the back. "God damn that Tommy Dreamer that freaking stick hurt," Jake yells. "Forget Tommy Dreamer! We have kicked Tommy Dreamer's ass so many times our boot prints are tattooed on his fat ass," Sami says. "But that stick hurt," Jake says clutching his belt. "Will you forget about the stupid stick before I got get it and stick it up your ass," Sami orders. "Okay," Jake says. "It still hurt," He whispers. Sami who had turned around turns back and glares at him. "What am I now?" Sami asks. "Well the number one contender," Jake says. "Exactly dumb ass! I am now next in line for a word title shot. And Cage is hurt. The door is open for us to get everything we want," Sami says. "Well I already got the X-Division title," Jake says hosting up his belt. "Look Jake. Our time is now. You got that. I am going to get the world title. At long last we will have this place just where we want it," Sami says.

"Right where we want them," Jake repeats. "We are putting Tessa Blanchard behind us! We are putting Tommy Dreamer behind us. We are putting Richie and Willie behind us. Right now our goal is simple take the world title!" Sami say. Jake nods. "Think about Jake. You remember those days training in that little warehouse in Ohio. Those crap payouts or the times the promoter wouldn't pay us at all," Sami says. "When I was working a full time job," Jake says. "A shitty full time job. Or when I was stuck in a WWE deal. And they did nothing with me. Told me I wasn't commercial enough. Said I just need to wait my time would come," Sami rants looking into the distance recalling those days in his career. "Well those day are over Sami," Jake says snapping him out of his trance. "Yeah its over. Its over and I'm the next world champion," Sami says.

"Yes you are," Jake says. "Look Jake I'm going to get a shower. Than we are going to celebrate," Sami says. "Yeah!" Jake yells excitedly. Sami made it to the locker room. The other idiots had the good sense to leave him alone. It wasn't until he was finally in the shower alone that he finally out the painful groan he had been holding in. "The little bitch actually hurt me," he thinks as the water hits his body. It had been those Magnums he knew he had a badly bruised rib. Once he was done he pulled on some pants and than wrapped his ribs. Normally he would ask Jake to do it. But lately his control on OVE had been slipping. All of a sudden Dave seemed willing to speak up. Jake was clamming to be the Golden Draw. Fulton would always be a wild card. Now was not the time show any type of weakness. He hadn't made the same mistake as last time. He hadn't taken her to lightly this time. But yet she nearly got him.

Finishing the wrap he pulled on a shirt. "End of the day Sami you got the job done. You beat her. You finally are you getting your title shot. You are going to beat Cage and become the champion. Tessa Blanchard is the past," He says to himself. Putting on a shirt he grabbed his bag and forced himself to forget about what ever pain and damage she had done with some lucky shots. He needed to be strong.

Meanwhile

This time they insisted she get her knee checked out. This time she was to tired to object and she knew there was a good chance her knee was injured. The trainer checked her out and applied an ice bag. "I think it might be a bit hyper extended. For right now just stay off it as much as you can. Let it rest," The trainer says. "Sure thing," Tessa lies. She has booking for AAA for there Triplemania show less than twenty four hours from now. She's not missing that. Her father had prided himself on making every town. Her step father never wanted to miss a show. She was going to jump on a flight and make that show. The trainer offered crutches and she took them for now. Getting back to the women's locker room she was surprised to see Jordynne Grace still there. If Tessa had only truly good friend on the roster it was Jordynne.

"Are you okay? Tommy said you were but I wanted to wait," Jordynne says. "I'm going to be fine. These are just a precaution," Tessa says. "You did great out there," Jordynne says. "Thanks," Tessa says as she sits down. "You almost had him if Jake hadn't come out there," Jordynne tells her. Tessa takes a deep breath. "Thanks Jordynne. Look I need to get changed," Tessa tells her. "Sure no problem," she says before leaving Tessa alone. Tessa looked around the empty locker room. "This close," Tessa thought. This time she had adjusted. When she got the cross face she didn't stupidly hold onto it when Sami started to get free. But still end of the day she lost. It wasn't even about the world title. That had never been her goal. The Knockouts title was and remained that. This was about beating that jackass. And again he had beat her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_I know been a long time since I updated. Well at first I thought this would be one and only chapter. Yet they kept doing this match I felt like expanding it. Although I think this will be my last chapter. Just a reminder this is not a romance story so don't expect it to end with Sami and Tessa kissing and going to bed. _

"MOTHER FUCKER!" Sami yelled as he stormed into the OVE locker room. He picked a chair and tossed it into a wall so hard the chair plastic on the seat broke away form the frame. Jake was about to speak. "SHUT YOU FUCKING FACE JAKE! I don't want to hear it," Sami says seething. "We should leave," Dave mouths to his brother. Madman Fulton had already been taken to the hospital after suffering a shoulder injury in the first match of the night. Sami pulled off his vest and tossed it to the ground still muttering and swearing. "Sami do you want or need anything?" Jake asks. By this point Sami had slumped to the ground against a wall. "Just leave," Sami finally says stunning both of them with how quite he was. "Leave?" Dave asks. "Yes Dave just leave. I want to be alone," Sami says still angry. Dave and Jake grab there bags and leave. Sami just sat in the now empty room seething.

"All that work. All those those years chasing a damn world title. And its gone. And it had to be her of all people. Tessa fucking Blanchard. The princess who stole his moment the night my won the title. She had to be the one to take my title from me!" Sami yell getting mad again. He couldn't believe this had happened. "It was my mistake. All those months ago I had her beat. She had lost at Slammiversary but than I had to be stupid and show her respect. I had to have the moment where I made her think she was some kind of equal," Sami think balling up his fist and hitting himself in the head. He was seething his emotions were raging. He needed some kind of outlet. Even worse he still hear the damn morons celebrating. Those worthless fans that had been cheering for her. The ungrateful member of management slapping themselves on the back for making history. Did they not get he had been the one to get people talking about Impact Wrestling again.

And than you had the other wrestlers. Yes he had fallen he had lost the world title. But none of them had done it. Yet they acted like they were apart of it some how. Old man Dreamer, fucking Daga, even Brian Cage had pulled himself together after getting his ass kicked had come out to greet her. Where the fuck where those people when Sami had won the belt. Hell The Rascalz were all guys he had given breaks to. Sami got up and walked over to the shower area and he caught his reflection in the mirror. "Its not over. I will get that belt back! I will show everyone this a minor setback. I've come back for a lot worse. I WILL GET MY TITLE BACK!"

Tessa's Locker Room

She was finally alone. That much needed moment of silence to gather her thoughts. Once she had pinned Sami and been handed the belt... her belt her head had been spinning. It was like she was in a dream. Her mom, sisters, and brother had entered the ring. When she reached the back her friends had been lined up to congratulate her. Her fiancee had embraced her and told her how proud he was and told her how amazing the match had been. Even some people she had expected had shown her respect. Members of management had thanked her for her efforts. They also insisted she get her knee checked out. Her knee was shot Sami had been relentless in his attack on it. Her back was also killing her thanks to the power bomb through the table.

Sitting down in a chair her mind raced to everything over the last year. Losing the knockouts title to Taya failing to get it back in that street fight, the feud with Gail Kim. The win over Gail had until now been the biggest win of her career it showed she could beat an all time great. Moving onto wrestling men and the start of everything with Sami. Each and every failure against Sami as he beat her not once but twice. Seeing him go on to win the title by beating Bria Cage. Finally her earning her own title shot. The fear her family had worried something bad would happen to her. Even the last few days.

The match had been hell easily the toughest of her career. She had made a huge mistake letting Sami jump her. All those damn piledriver she would feel for months. The knee attacks had one purpose to take away her move Magnum. As a result every time she used the move it been hell. Yet she kept blocking the pain out and using the move. She had to do it. Every time she hit it while it hurt her it hurt Sami a lot more. Yet she had to admit she almost broke mentally during the match. It was after he refused to tap out when she locked the cross face in. It brought her back mentally to there first match. Than the words rang in her head.

Her father had been unable to make it to the show. He was active in wrestling again thanks to taking a job with AEW. But he had called her earlier today. "Tessa listen to me. You are one of a kind. I have seen so many damn kids think there last night was enough or someone with natural talent not get its more than just talent. You hit the ground running and have never looked bad. No other woman could have done this get a world title shot. I know you will win... And you will be the first Blanchard to win a world title," he had told her. She would call her dad in a minute but there was someone else she needed to call. She placed her title on her lap and grabbed her phone. "Hey kiddo that was amazing," her stepfather Magnum TA said. Tears of joy slipped down her face. She did it she was the world champion.


End file.
